Jury sent home in murder trial

The jury in the trial of a woman and her former son-in-law  for the murder of her husband has been sent home from the Central…

The jury in the trial of a woman and her former son-in-law  for the murder of her husband has been sent home from the Central Criminal Court to allow lawyers to conduct legal argument in its absence.

Vera McGrath (61) has pleaded not guilty to murdering Bernard Brian McGrath (43) at their home in Lower Coole, Co Westmeath in 1987.

Colin Pinder (47) of Liverpool, England has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter on a date unknown between March 10th and April 18th, 1987.

The chief prosecution witness is Mrs McGrath's daughter Veronica, who is Pinder's ex-wife.

Ms McGrath has told the court she saw the defendants bury her father in a shallow grave after beating him to death.

The trial will continue on Monday.